Children in Huddersfield are four times more likely to have their teeth extracted in hospital than those elsewhere in England.

In 2015/16, there were 831 admissions of children, aged under 18, to hospital for teeth extractions in the area covered by Greater Huddersfield Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

That’s a rate of 159.4 per 10,000 children which is 3.7 times the England rate of 42.7 per 10,000.

The admissions included 184 for children, aged between one and four, who had multiple teeth extracted.

This also included 513 admissions for children aged five to nine.

Across England last year, there were 86 occasions when a child had all his or her teeth removed. This was the highest level since at least 2005/06.

Rory Deighton, of official health watchdog Healthwatch Kirklees, criticised NHS England for failing to provide sufficient affordable dentists.

Healthwatch Kirklees Director, Rory Deighton, said: "This is one area where the failure to address the basic issue of access to NHS dentists in Kirklees is costing hospitals more money, and people the use of their teeth."
Healthwatch Kirklees Director, Rory Deighton, said: "This is one area where the failure to address the basic issue of access to NHS dentists in Kirklees is costing hospitals more money, and people the use of their teeth."

Mr Deighton said: “Healthwatch have been making these points to NHS England for over three years now.

“We’re rarely critical of local NHS organisations working in difficult circumstances, with limited resources. But this is one area where the failure to address the basic issue of access to NHS dentists in Kirklees is costing hospitals more money, and people the use of their teeth.”

The Examiner contacted NHS England. It failed to respond.